71 Fastback Restoration Thread

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walterm

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
19
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Location
Yorkville, IL
My Car
1971 Sportsroof 351C 4V 4 speed
I have started a restoration on a 71 fastback and have decided to document it here for others to enjoy. I'm sure I can learn a lot from this forum and hopefully I can provide some inspiration and help for others that have taken on a huge project like mine.

The car is an M code fastback with a 351C 4V closed chamber heads and a top loader 4 speed. It was originally bronze with ginger interior. The PO painted it yellow.

When I purchased the car, the motor(numbers matching original bore) was out and the front sheet metal was removed and the entire front end was sandblasted to bare metal and left that way for 18 years. All of the front end sheet metal is badly rusted. It was hit in the right rear and a bad bodywork job was done to the quarter panel and tail light panel. The worst part of the car is the cowl(arg!). The inner cowl and top hat are badly rotted as well as the outer cowl and firewall.

My plans are for a complete rotisserie resto-mod with a stock Mach 1 exterior. Don't flame me to bad for this decision, I know this is a rare car, but I just don't care for the looks of the standard trim. The powertrain and suspension/brakes will be upgraded significantly.

I started this project by first building a new heated and air conditioned garage to work in. I added a paint/sandblast booth to keep the mess to a minimum. I started out with plastic walls, but quickly decided that was not going to work long term, so I OSB'd the walls and ceiling of the booth. I also added a four post lift.

In the mean time I have been searching for the bulk of the missing parts and have acquired most of what I need.

Now the fun begins.

More to come,

Mark


I started out with the front inner fenders. I cut off the radiator support because it was rotted and welded in reproduction inner fenders on both sides. It felt good to finally get started with metal work.

I sandblasted the entire area and then primed with PPG etching primer to make sure rust does not return. This work was uneventful and relatively easy. All along though I found myself not looking forward to the cowl repair.

Mark

Chassis.JPG

Blast booth.JPG

Quarter view.JPG

LH outer front chassis blated 2.JPG

RF inner fender welded.JPG

LF_inner_Fender.JPG

 
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Yes, Yes, Yes!! NICE work! ::thumb::

Mine was a total rust bucket when I got it... very similar issues (rusted out front clip, cowls, floors, trunk, quarters, wheelhouses, etc.) which required a LOT of the same work you're doing.

Don't feel bad about the restomod ideas - M-Codes aren't THAT rare, even though your colors and trim options suggest otherwise. This is your car - bring it back how you see fit. The only way you'd get disowned would be by dropping in an LS or something 'imported.' rofl

Keep it up - Looking GREAT so far!! :bravo:

 
So, my next task was to tackle the cowl.

I needed patch panels, so I found a guy in Alabama that was willing to cut the entire cowl off of a donor car and send it to me in exchange for some AC parts I had. I was able to section the firewall and inner cowl panel from the donor parts as well as the top hat.

I am learning to weld during this build and quickly discovered that I needed a better welder and purchased a Miller. What a difference!

This part of the project tested my patience as there was a lot of rot that needed repair. I just worked on one section at a time. I painted the inside of the cowl before welding the cover back on and I am very pleased with the results. With this job done I am very motivated to continue and the results have inspired some much needed help from a friend to continue this process.

here are some pictures of the before and after.

The Blair spot weld cutter paid for itself here.



Yes, Yes, Yes!! NICE work! ::thumb::

Mine was a total rust bucket when I got it... very similar issues (rusted out front clip, cowls, floors, trunk, quarters, wheelhouses, etc.) which required a LOT of the same work you're doing.

Don't feel bad about the restomod ideas - M-Codes aren't THAT rare, even though your colors and trim options suggest otherwise. This is your car - bring it back how you see fit. The only way you'd get disowned would be by dropping in an LS or something 'imported.' rofl

Keep it up - Looking GREAT so far!! :bravo:
Wow, I saw your FB pics of your car. Yours was much toastier than mine is. It gives me hope. Great job saving that car, I hate to see em go to the crusher.

cowl cover LF rot.JPG

cowl cover LF repair_4.JPG

cowl cover repaired front.JPG

RH inner cowl filled.JPG

inner cowl primed2.JPG

More blasting.JPG

cowl lip ground.JPG

Inner_Fender_Extension_RH#.JPG

 
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Thanks for the kind words. I, too, learned a lot more about welding throughout my project (I could make sparks, burn my clothing, and wind up sticking two piece of metal together, but it wasn't pretty :whistling: )

Your work is inspirational - very nice! :goodpost: :coolphotos:

(Makes me wish I'd sprayed my Rust Bullet, rather than sponge-brushed it on - but, oh well)

 
Say, what year is that Fox-Body, anyway? My first car was an '82 GL hatchback - loved it!

 
Say, what year is that Fox-Body, anyway? My first car was an '82 GL hatchback - loved it!
It's an 89 full race car.

I just sold an 82 GT and I also owned an 88 that I used up.

SDC10264.JPG

IMG_0018.JPG

 
Here are some more shots of the inner fender repairs to complete the cowl repairs. The gray you see between the panels is weld thru primer. Man this stuff is expensive. I think I paid $38.00 for an aerosol rattle can. I use it between the panels and then clean it up externally as best I can after the repair. I just don't know how well it works as a base coat for paint.

One other thing I learned here is that you need to spend time to get the sand out of ALL the crevices anywhere near where you are working. The spray gun tends to dislodge the sand and it ends up in your freshly primed surfaces.

The belted dynaglass tire in the last shot still has the rubber nubs on the tread surface. All four tires that came with the car look like they have never been on the road. The tire are not dry rotted, but I would not chance using them.

RR_Inner_Fender.JPG

LH_Fender_Extension2.JPG

LH_Fender_Extension.JPG

Inner_Fender.JPG

LF inner fenders outer.JPG

 
Cool. But $38 per can for weld thru seems a bit high. Do you have an autobody supply shop in your area? I made friends with the counter guy there so he gives me deal since I am not a body shop. I got the weld thru for about $8 last time. It is NOT a primer for paint or finish coat. If you wipe it with a dry rag and not much elbow grease you can just wipe it off. When done welding the area grind the remaining off and use correct primer. Good idea to use on the your joints prior to welding though.

 
Cool. But $38 per can for weld thru seems a bit high. Do you have an autobody supply shop in your area? I made friends with the counter guy there so he gives me deal since I am not a body shop. I got the weld thru for about $8 last time. It is NOT a primer for paint or finish coat. If you wipe it with a dry rag and not much elbow grease you can just wipe it off. When done welding the area grind the remaining off and use correct primer. Good idea to use on the your joints prior to welding though.
Wow, $8. I need to find better sources for this stuff. I do go to a body supply shop, but they kind of make me feel like they are doing me a favor just selling to me since I am not a body shop.

 
Yeah I was lucky. I went in the first time with a friend of mine that works at a body shop in town and he introduced me to one of the counter guys so now he cuts me a deal.


I get the 3M brand from him but he says the Seymore is good stuff too.

 
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Nice work! Looks like you have some sense about you.
Thanks for the kind words, but I think if I had sense about me I would have bought one already done. Actually I really enjoy my time in the garage, I call it my brain eraser time.

 
I'm with you on garage time being enjoyable. I use my brain at work, but sitting on my ass most of the day isn't exactly satisfying. Being able to put my hands on tools, build or repair things, diagnose problems and find solutions that are quick to implement really helps me cope with my work as an attorney where everything I do takes 6 months to two years or more to see results.

Nothing you buy is as right, to you, as something you build.

 
Awesome work fixing that rust.

A bit of an unrelated, but related, question, but I am trying to see pictures of the interior shell around the rear side window and c-pillar area. Since you car is down to a shell, could you take a picture and share it with me. I just posted this question today in my build thread (http://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-muscletang-mod-project-thread-1971-m-mach-1?pid=257986#pid257986) about how this area should look like. The body in that area of my car looks like cut with a torch so I am curious if that's how it should look or if someone messed around that area in the past.

 
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My car does not have a fold down rear seat, so I can't help you there. I thought about adding one, but then realized that I won't be hauling lumber in this car, so I don't need it.

For the welds near the C pillar, Yeah that is normal. yours look worse than mine though. Your car was probably built on a Monday.

While we are on the topic of poor welds...Take a look at my trunk hinge welds. These are really ugly. Are others seeing this on their cars as well? It looks like the hinge bolts to the package tray area, so I don't understand the need to weld these unless it is for panel adjustment. The weld om the drivers side is soo poor that it barely connects the two pieces.

SDC10993.JPG

SDC10994.JPG

SDC10996.JPG

 
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